Vasquez was a key member of the Raptors last season helping them to a club record 48-win season.

“Masai (Ujiri) has known Greivis for a long, long time,” Head Coach Dwane Casey said. “He has known him ever since he was a young kid. He has stones. He is confident. He is a kid you are not afraid to put in any situation because of his confidence.

“I love him and that’s the culture you want to develop is having guys like that who want to be here and want to be a part of the community, who want to be a part of a winning organization.”

“Greivis is one of the best teammates you can have,” President and General Manager, Basketball Operations, Ujiri said. “Greivis is closest on our team to Tyler Hansbrough, it’s crazy, everybody loves the guy. He is very close with Kyle. As competitive as he is, he figures out a way to be competitive with his team. We want to get something done. He is one of those pieces on the team where you know that he is always going to be a great teammate and is going to go out and compete.”

By the end of the season, Vasquez proved he could both effectively backup starter Kyle Lowry and play with Lowry in a very strong two point guard lineup.

Stephen Brotherston covers the Toronto Raptors and visiting NBA teams at the Air Canada Centre and is a member of the Professional Basketball Writers Association.

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Raptors Are Going After Vasquez And Patterson NextThe impact of a player like Vasquez on the court and in the locker room shouldn’t be underestimated. His outgoing nature permeates the locker room. He is a happy, positive, and uplifting influence and teams need a guy like him on their roster. He’ll be back.